'Black Lightning' Season 3 Episode 11 Review: ASA's downfall is imminent but Markovia is still a threat
Spoiler alert for 'Black Lightning' Season 3 Episode 11
Ironically, Episode 11 'The Book of Markovia: Chapter Two: Lynn's Addiction' doesn't actually deal with the Green Light addiction that has plagued Dr Lynn Stewart (Christine Adams) all through the season but that doesn't mean it wasn't a fun episode. And besides, the episode did give Lynn time to shine while also setting the pieces in place for the ASA's downfall.
After learning that Agent Odell (Bill Duke) used his daughter Jennifer Pierce aka Lightning (China Anne McClain) to kill the Markovians, Jefferson Pierce aka Black Lightning (Cress Williams) goes on the warpath, determined to take down Odell and end the ASA occupation in one fell swoop.
Cress Williams puts on quite a performance as the outraged father, especially in the scene where he finds out that Jennifer may have killed people. We can feel the rage he's holding in even before his powers start flaring up as a result.
That his plan doesn't actually work out is beside the point. Jefferson manages to prove to Odell that he can get him if he wants and, more importantly, the Pierces manage to capture Jennifer's ex and ASA super-soldier Painkiller / Khalil Payne (Jordan Calloway).
With some help from the technopath Baron aka TC (Christopher Ammanuel), the Pierces could theoretically disable the chip that's allowing the ASA to control Khalil, freeing him from their brainwashing. While this doesn't bode well for Jennifer's budding relationship with Brandon (Jahking Guillory), having Painkiller on their side would allow the Pierces to take the fight to the ASA and actually succeed in overthrowing them.
In the final moments of the episode, we find out that Odell has left Freeland and is headed back home to Gotham City (yes, that Gotham City). Though the ASA is still around, taking them down should be much easier now that they don't have their director's tactical expertise to guide them.
Meanwhile, remember how we said Lynn got a chance to shine? Well, in a separate plot in the episode, Lynn manages to break Tobias Whale (Marvin 'Krondon' Jones III) out of ASA custody only to get captured by the Markovians.
All in all, the episode was somewhat predictable but still a fun watch with some really enjoyable moments, especially the ones involving Brandon, who is quickly becoming a favorite on the cast. But that said, what's really interesting is the inevitable fall of the ASA and the coming of the Markovians that the story sets up for the episodes to come.
'Black Lightning' Season 3 Episode 12 'The Book of Markovia: Chapter Three' will air on The CW on February 3.